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Sheffield’s HS2 vision revealed as part of 10-year city centre development plan

Sheffield City Council has released the first image of how a new HS2 station could look like if high-speed rail starts operating in the city.

The image has been unveiled as part of the council’s This is Sheffield Plan – a 10-year development proposal which intends to identify how the city can be transformed and become more economically successful.

A consultation has been launched with the council keen to receive feedback from as many businesses, residents and others with an interest in the city as possible. People can share their views via an online survey which will run until 17 June or at public exhibitions running in the next two weeks.

The development plan is said to show how council leaders think the layout and character of the centre and its distinct parts could and should develop, whilst building on what makes Sheffield unique such as its landscape, setting and heritage. It also contains an action plan which sets out priorities and choices about how the council intends to deliver these plans and who will be responsible.

Mazher Iqbal, cabinet member for business and investment at Sheffield City Council, said: “We want to continue creating fantastic workplaces whether it’s the new HSBC building, start-up spaces in Castle House and Exchange Studios or the award-winning Jaywing headquarters in the former Sidney Street cutlery forge. We want to expand the city’s business districts towards the HS2 station and knowledge gateway and grow the six emerging living communities mainly on the western side of the city centre. We’ve also presented a vision for how a new HS2-station might look and how that might link to our other transport networks, helping to achieve our target of a zero-carbon city by 2050.”

The plan takes into account proposals by the city’s two universities, an initial sketch of how a new HS2 station link could help transform the Sheaf Valley, significant changes to transport including better walking, cycling and bus routes with a slimmed-down Pond Street interchange, ambitious plans to uncover the River Sheaf and a major archaeology dig on the site of Sheffield’s former castle.

The HS2 vision follows on from recent announcements about Heart Of The City II, the extension of Grey To Green into Castlegate and Lady’s Bridge and the development of a new £3m digital hub at Castle House.

The survey for the This is Sheffield Plan, can be found here. 

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